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Corrections Act 2004

Corrections system - Miscellaneous - Other rights of inspection

161: Right of member of Parliament to visit prisons

You could also call this:

"MPs can visit prisons to check on conditions and talk to prisoners"

Illustration for Corrections Act 2004

You can visit a prison if you are a member of Parliament. You can go into the prison, look around, and check on the prisoners. You can also tell the prison manager what you think about what you see. The prison manager has to write down what you say and keep a record of it at the prison. You are allowed to talk to prisoners about how they are being treated in the prison or if they have a complaint about their treatment.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM296545.

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Crime and justice > Criminal lawCrime and justice > Police and safetyGovernment and voting > Government departments
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160: Protocol between chief executive and Chief Ombudsman, or

"Agreement between the boss of Corrections and the Chief Ombudsman to help sort out complaints"

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162: Right of Justice of the Peace to visit prison, or

"Justices of the Peace can visit prisons to check on prisoner treatment"

Part 2Corrections system
Miscellaneous: Other rights of inspection

161Right of member of Parliament to visit prisons

  1. Any member of Parliament may, whenever the member considers it appropriate, enter a prison and examine it and the condition of the prisoners, and may inform the prison manager of his or her observations.

  2. The prison manager must ensure that any observations of a member of Parliament are recorded and that a permanent record of those observations is kept at the prison.

  3. A member of Parliament is not entitled, under subsection (1), to communicate with any prisoner except in relation to—

  4. his or her treatment in the prison; or
    1. a complaint that prisoner makes about that treatment.

      Compare
      • 1954 No 51 s 37